Noel Paul
- Type: Athlete
- Sport(s): Track and Field
- Year: 2021
Middle and Long Distance Runner
Noel Paul was born in 1904 in Halfway River, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, and died in 1984 at age 80 at Millbrook First Nation just outside Truro, N.S.
In 1922, at age 18, Noel began his winning career in the Parrsboro Old Home Week of one and five miles. In 1925, he moved to Springhill to work on a farm, and before or after work, Noel ran 15 miles a day to stay in shape.
During his career Noel ran does of 10 mile and 26 marathon events winning at least 13 and placing 2nd or 3rd an equal number of times between 1922 and 1937. He won road races and Championships in Moncton, Charlottetown, Halifax, Cape Breton, Springhill and Amherst. In 1932, he was in the top one percent of finishers at the Boston Marathon.
Noel Paul put his running career on hold during the Second World War when he donned a Royal Canadian Army uniform to fight for his country.
When he resumed running in 1947 at age 43, he placed second in two races at Amherst and Hantsport.
Noel is a brother to William John Paul of PEI, also an extremely accomplished Mi’kmaq runner inducted into the Maritime Sport Hall of Fame in 2019. He is considered a Prince Edward Island inductee. Both were born in Cumberland County but wound up living as adults in different Maritime provinces after their respective war service.